Coleophora albicosta
This record describes Coleophora albicosta (species). Recorded family: Coleophoridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan about 14 mm. The scientific name of this species is derived from the whitish streak along the costa, or forewing edge. Flying by day, but also sometimes coming to light at night, the adults are on the wing from May to July. The larva feeds on Gorse. At first, it feeds on green seeds inside a seedpod. From July to November, it lives in a detached sepal rolled into a case, which it attaches to the side of a seedpod and bores in to feed on the seeds. From November to April, it diapauses full-fed in a silk case in a dead flower. In April it pupates in the overwintering case. The species is fairly frequent throughout the British Isles. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Coleophoridae
- Genus
- Coleophora
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Around the larval foodplant Gorse.
Seasonal Activity
Flying by day, but also sometimes coming to light at night, the adults are on the wing from May to July.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larva feeds on Gorse. At first, it feeds on green seeds inside a seedpod. From July to November, it lives in a detached sepal rolled into a case, which it attaches to the side of a seedpod and bores in to feed on the seeds. From November to April, it diapauses full-fed in a silk case in a dead flower. In April it pupates in the overwintering case.
Additional species information
Recorded status
The species is fairly frequent throughout the British Isles. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Coleophora albicosta. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Coleophora albicosta (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Coleophora albicosta
What is Coleophora albicosta?
Coleophora albicosta is a species in the family Coleophoridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Coleophora albicosta found?
Habitat: Around the larval foodplant Gorse.
When is Coleophora albicosta active?
Coleophora albicosta: seasonal activity - Flying by day, but also sometimes coming to light at night, the adults are on the wing from May to July..
What is the life cycle of a Coleophora albicosta?
The larva feeds on Gorse. At first, it feeds on green seeds inside a seedpod. From July to November, it lives in a detached sepal rolled into a case, which it attaches to the side of a seedpod and bores in to feed on the seeds. From November to April, it diapauses full-fed in a silk case in a dead flower. In April it pupates in the overwintering case.